The 12 Worst Supermarkets in America

The Fiscal Times ^ | April 13, 2012 ?!? | Blaire Briody

[Daffynition]

...All ratings are based on 24,203 responses, and the four categories – service (includes employee courtesy and checkout speed), perishables (food quality), price and cleanliness – were scored from “very satisfied,” “fairly satisfied,” “neutral, “fairly unsatisfied” and “very unsatisfied.” All scores are out of 100. The highest-rated supermarket, Wegmans, received a score of 88. The following are ranked from bad to worst....

[Daffynition]

Sorry, it's a slideshow. ;(

http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Media/Slideshow/2012/04/13/12-Worst-Supermarkets-in-America

I think, if this was a more recent survey, ALDI would top the list.

[Tijeras_Slim]

In Albuquerque's war zone...

[C. Edmund Wright]

I think Wegmans and Trader Joes are the faves among their own shoppers.

ALDI has its niche, but it’s a low low cost niche. Owned by Trader Joes folks, who have some astounding business secrets and algorithsm that make ALDI and Trader Joes’ work beyond reason.

Wegmens has their own thing, and their following, like Trader Joes, is almost cultish. When a busuiness can do that, like these two and Apple have done, it’s just magic.

[Dr. Sivana]

I think, if this was a more recent survey, ALDI would top the list.

No. Aldi is what they say they are: very limited selection, very good pricing, reasonable cleaniness. Walmart, by comaparison has limited selection, and only moderate pricing. In northern Illinois, Walmart only beats out Schnucks for price, and gets beaten soundly by both Woodmans and Aldi (and generally Valli).

A lot of stores that fare poorly (e.g. Pathmark, Pick'n'Save) are in urban locations that the premium stores find unprofitable/inapproriate for their business model.

[Made In The USA]

“The highest-rated supermarket, Wegmans, received a score of 88.”

Wegmans is one of the few things I miss from the North. It really is that good of a supermarket chain.

[C. Edmund Wright]

OH SORRY….I thought it was 12 BEST……sheesh….multi tasking…and very poorly apparently….

[Vigilanteman]

I've only shopped at Wal-Mart Super Center (#2 on the worst list) and Food Lion (#8), so would have to say the ratings are well deserved. I spent 45 minutes in a Wal-Mart Super Center not long ago. They had a pallet of frozen food on a pallet jack which hadn't been put away when I walked in. It was still there, untouched, when I left 45 minutes later.

Yeah, it is a little cheaper than their main two competitors in this market (Giant Eagle and Shop'n'Save), but considering the above experience and many more even worse, I'll paty a little extra for safety and convenience, especially now that we're empty nesters.

[SC_Pete]

Walter White wouldn’t even shop there.

[fatnotlazy]

My poor neighborhood has an ALDI and a Bottom Dollar. Major supermarket chains don’t do well here, so bargain stores make more sense.

I shop at both the major chains and at Bottom Dollar. The latter is particularly good for the usually high price groceries such as paper products and laundry detergents. The savings I get on these big ticket items means more money for some luxury foods from the major chains.

[fwdude]

Aldi reminds me of a grocery store you would see in a communist bloc country 30 years ago, style-wise. It has its devoted adherents, but don't look to shop there for everything you need - it's too hit-and-miss.

I'll shop there occasionally, but only for a standard item like coffee or their Christmas Stollen (yum!!!)

[Alex Murphy]

I've only shopped at Wal-Mart Super Center (#2 on the worst list) and Food Lion (#8), so would have to say the ratings are well deserved.

Counting Walmart, I've shopped at four of them, and would agree with you. For those of you who've never had the pleasure, imagine having to buy your groceries from the DMV.

[the OlLine Rebel]

I finally have tried Wegman’s, but even though it’s now close it’s only been once a year. I do have many grocery choices here.

I don’t really get it. The store is nice for special counter items, and if you want to “eat out” with the food bar, but for regular groceries, I find them greatly wanting. My store is very warehouse-looking, depressing, and there really is limited choice of various standard products.

I do like that they have the nice garage which is protective in bad weather. If I need to go then I might use it, but it’s so dang cultish popular that you don’t want to go for being so ridiculously crowded. Cars are constantly circling the big garage.

[mmichaels1970]

I think, if this was a more recent survey, ALDI would top the list.

I really like ALDI. In our area they have the fastest cashiers I've seen in 20 years. Any other store in the area takes forever to scan and bag my groceries...it's much faster when I can self-scan. However, at ALDI you can be third in line with 100 items and still get through there quickly. I do have to bag it myself at ALDI, but I have no problem with that.

It's really nice to see cashiers actually busting their butts rather than yawning and chit-chatting as they slowly ring you up.

[mmichaels1970]

OH SORRY….I thought it was 12 BEST

Oh...lol...then I guess I agree with you about ALDI.

[Vigilanteman]

Good description of Aldi's. They have their really good points and we used to shop there a lot when we had a household of 5. Not so much anymore.

I can get much the same selection down the road at a Sav-a-Lot without the long wait in line.

[fwdude]

It's really nice to see cashiers actually busting their butts rather than yawning and chit-chatting as they slowly ring you up.

That's Wal-Mart for you (add confusion while scanning and price checks every other item.)

[SkyDancer]

ALDI only deals in cash. Not sure though of debit cards. But definitely no credit cards.

[mmichaels1970]

That's Wal-Mart for you

Ain't that the truth. In my area, there's no such thing as a "quick trip to Wal-Mart". Even if you want one small thing, you're in for at least a 40 minute investment.

[fwdude]

And the Wal-Martians want more pay. LOL!

[the OlLine Rebel]

I’m OK with my Food Lion. They have some things my other many choices don’t have, and for cheaper. It also is just a decent store with nice people. Despite being trailer-park oriented. Same can be said for our other similar low-end local chain, Mars.

What I really like about these stores is that they are like the old grocery stores before megastores came in. They are small. I don’t have to walk much, but there is still planets there. Mars is in 1 of our oldest grocery buildings in the whole region, but the FL was deliberately built small a decade ago. Nice not to have to run 2 mi for some apples.